Chocolate cupcakes

If you've read this post before, you know this isn't the original post. Somehow, Blogger deleted the previous post. I don't remember what humorous things I said, so this is just a re-post so you have the recipe.

Black Midnight Cake from Grandma Ettling.
This is one of the cakes that she made for my wedding. Except she made a layer cake and I made cupcakes.

Grease and flour two layer pans, or one 9x13, or get cupcake liners for 24 cupcakes. Preheat oven to 350.

Cream together:
2/3 c shortening (Grandma  uses half butter.)
1 2/3 c sugar
3 eggs

Sift together:
2 1/4 c cake flour (if using all purpose flour, reduce to 2 cups)
2/3 c cocoa
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Mix into the shortening, alternately, with 1 1/3 c water

Pour into prepared pans. Bake  40-45 minutes for 9x13, 35 minutes for layers, or about 25 for cupcakes. Test with a toothpick.

Ice with cream cheese icing.

Cream Cheese Icing
2 8 oz packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 c butter, softened
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
5 to 6 c powdered sugar

Beat together first four ingredients until smooth. Gradually beat in powdered sugar. Store in refrigerator.

This makes enough for 24 cupcakes, plus about 2 c leftover. It would probably be enough for a layer cake or 9x13.

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Spice cake

This weekend we're having a big party in Cape. My aunt is celebrating 20 years of employment at SEMO, and my mom and other aunt are celebrating birthdays in May. As I have to travel 5 hours to get home, I'm making cupcakes. They'll keep better on a car ride than, say, a mayonnaise based salad!

Tonight I tackled the Spice Cake cupcakes. Despite the house smelling like Christmas, there are some issues going on with the cupcakes. But they will still get iced and eaten. Tomorrow I will ice these cupcakes and bake the chocolate cupcakes.

I have two cupcake pans. Do you see any issues here?

The pan on the left I've had forever. It's a cheapo that I bought at the grocery store because I needed a muffin pan and didn't want to drive to the southside of town to the Mall to go to JC Penneys or Bed Bath & Beyond to get a nice one. It flash rusts if it is not hand dried.

The pan on the right I bought at a flea market last year. I believe it is aluminum as it does not rust and is rather light weight.The cupcake liners stick up out of the tin a good quarter of an inch and when the batter rises it falls over the edge of the liner. Looks like at least one cupcake is being sacrificed to the cupcake mouse aka The Hubs. Does anyone else notice the cupcakes have nipples? (Yes, I inserted a toothpick in the center of several cupcakes and it came out clean.)

Seriously...

Spice Cake with Penuche Icing

2 1/2 c cake flour (or 2 1/4 c all purpose flour)

1 2/3 c sugar

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp mace (Grandma Ettling just uses 1 1/2 tsp nutmeg because "they're from the same plant".)

1/2 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp allspice

3/4 c milk

2/3 c shortening (Grandma Ettling uses butter)

3 eggs

1/2 c milk

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and spices. Add 3/4 c of milk and shortening/butter. Beat for 2 minutes. (If using all purpose flour, add all the milk at the same time.)

Add eggs, 1/2 c milk, vanilla. Beat 2 more minutes. 

Pour into greased and floured 9x13, or (2)-9" round pans, or 24 cupcake liners. Bake for 35-40 minutes for cake, or 18-20 minutes for cupcakes. 

Penuche Icing

Melt 1/2 c butter in saucepan.

Stir in 1 c (packed) brown sugar.

Boil and stir over low heat for 2 minutes. 

Stir in 1/4 c milk. Bring to boil, stirring constantly. Cool to lukewarm.

Gradually stir in 1 3/4 c to 2 c sifted powdered sugar.

Place pan in ice water and stir until thick enough to spread.

Grandma's notes: for a 9x13 cake, don't cool the icing. Immediately put it on the cake and cover it. Cool the icing for a layer cake. For a layer cake, make 1 1/2 recipes.

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